


I Can Wait Forever

by Veronibell



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Barista Louis, Childhood Friends, Gen, H/L Fireworks Fic Exchange, Light Angst, M/M, University Student Harry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-16
Updated: 2015-08-16
Packaged: 2018-04-15 00:23:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4585914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Veronibell/pseuds/Veronibell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What do you do when confronted with someone you both wanted to see and avoid forever?<br/>Take a leap and talk or run away?</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Can Wait Forever

**Author's Note:**

  * For [larryhowlter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/larryhowlter/gifts).



> I really suck at summaries so sorry about that.
> 
> This prompt was so much fun! So I really hope you like it.  
> As I was writing this fic the universe developed into this monster of a reality, unfortunately my brain didn't really want to cooperate with me so you may find parts of this feeling rushed or unsatisfying, if so, sorry about that.  
> I do have the desire to continue this 'verse/re-work parts of it.
> 
> Also I didn't actually make up random sounding things for Harry's majors (technically), both of them are specialities of the overall umbrella (Of which I have a bachelor's degree in). So if you wanna know what he would actually be doing or why I made that his major, ask away.
> 
> As always let me know what you think.
> 
> This website and my formatting do not get along so sorry for any wacky formatting,
> 
> Title from "I Can Wait Forever" by Simple Plan, I am unimaginative when it comes to titles.

Nobody had told him how hot it would be here. Obviously he knew that he would be arriving in the middle of summer, but really why did it have to be so damn hot. Not only was it hot it was a dry suffocating heat. One that hit him in the face like walking into a brick wall the second he left the comfort of the air conditioned international arrivals terminal. His shirt was stuck to him within minutes and he was very much starting to regret not cutting his hair before he left. He was really not looking forward to spending the next three months in this heat. Something he knew was gonna get worse once he reached the city.  

Though Harry could admit that already it was a beautiful place. The air was warm and the sky was a brilliant blue that he hadn’t seen in years. There was a twinge in his chest when he remembered the last time he had seen a blue quite as beautiful as this. Tilting his face to the sun he slipped his sunglasses onto his face and forced the memories away. 

_You are here for uni. You are here to learn. Not to think about the guy how just dropped off the face of the earth after moving here._

If he had felt hot standing outside the ride in the taxi was even worse, he could feel the beads of sweat rolling down his back sending tremors through his body. He could feel his scalp starting to itch and his hair sticking to the back of his neck. Every time he shifted in his seat a different part of him would get stuck to the grimy sticky leather of the taxi. What made it even worse was every window was open causing the hair that wasn’t already stuck to his face whip around and tangle with the hot wind. Not even moving at a hundred kilometres an hour made the air any cooler. With each passing minute he felt stickier and hotter. Harry pulled his shirt away from his chest, fanning himself with his passport in a vain effort to cool himself, grimacing at the feeling of soft cotton peeling away from his body like flaking skin after a sunburn. Looking out the windows he watched as his surroundings slowly became filled with towering metal structures, watched the sun bounce off the thousands of pains of glass, the rays intensifying to blinding levels. Harry could see the heat radiating off the buildings, distorting the background of metal and striking blue. He watched as the streets filled with people wearing as little clothing as they could get away with in public spaces. He watched as the noise of the world outside his cab got louder and rougher. He no longer felt isolated, it almost felt like home, as much as London was home. He was just another face among faces. Just another nameless person seeking a purpose. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn’t notice that he was at his hotel until the driver spoke. 

“Mate, you’re here. That’ll be thirty dollars.”

He startled at the brash tones, not unlike London drivers and handed over the cash. “Thanks” 

Two minutes later he was once again standing in an air conditioned building. His two suitcases at his side and trusty leather carry all at his feet, checking into his hotel, the place that would be his home for the next three months. Trudging up to his room he was suddenly struck by the thought that he was actually doing this, he was actually going to be spending the next few months studying medical anthropology and anthropological photography at one of the best universities in Australia. He was going to be in the same city as someone who had been a major part of his childhood until he suddenly wasn’t, and he only knows that the person is still here because Liam doesn’t know how to let go of people and has kept a tab on where Louis was and what he was doing. He was going to be living away from the people who meant the world to him. He was going to have to make friends outside of Liam and his sister if he wanted to avoid being a hermit. The whole thing was both extremely unnerving and exciting.  

Dropping his suitcases and his carryall at the foot of the bed he let his body flop face-first onto the bed. He stayed like that for a few minutes, before rolling over and smiling up at the ceiling. This was totally the start of a new adventure.

~~

Two days later he was getting repeatedly lost trying to navigate his way around the campus. While at the same time fighting what felt like a losing battle with a serious case of jet-lag. So far the course adviser he had met with, a Mr Corden, himself an Englishman, had been very positive and enthusiastic with Harry’s ideas of what he wanted to learn and what he wanted to get out of his time here. Now all Harry had to do was not let himself get distracted. He was looking for the nearest coffee shop to have his third coffee of the day when he heard a very unique laugh and that was a feat considering his own laugh, the sound was followed by the light strumming of a guitar. He stopped just a few metres from a happy looking blond guy with a well worn guitar sitting on a bench. Harry recognised the next song the guy started strumming

" _Today is gonna be the day that they are gonna throw it back to you”_ the boy’s voice was strong and lilting, with an accent that Harry couldn't quite place, it was a sound that Harry enjoyed and the boy was rather talented _”Because maybe you’re gonna be the one that saves me, and after all you’re my wonderwall”_

_**Maybe you’re gonna be the one that saves me…maybe you’re gonna be the one that saves me…maybe you’re gonna be the one that saves me.** _

The lyric played on a loop over and over again in time to his heart beat. Harry knew that he couldn’t ignore his past, he knew that Louis had been there and had saved him from hearing his parents fight, hearing his sister cry, saved him from boredom. Saved him from getting stuck in his own head more times than he could recall. Harry could even admit, even if it was only to Liam, that Louis had saved Harry from being alone. But there was just so much of his past that was wound in and around Louis, the sting of what had happened between them made confronting that past entirely too painful.

"Thank you all for listening to me playing, M' name's Niall, and I'll be here tomorrow!"

He was shaken out of his memories by what was an unmistakably Irish accent. Harry finally took in the boy; blond hair with dark roots that was catching the sun, average height and build, a friendly and cheerful smile. A few people had approached the boy and he seemed to have the time to chat to each one, from the snatches of conversation that he could overhear the boy wasn't boastful of his talents, almost seemingly deflecting any compliment he received. To be honest Harry probably wouldn't have even noticed the boy had it not been for his song choice. Checking his watch he swore under his breath, if he didn't hurry to the other side of the campus he was going to be late for a lecture. The coffee would have to wait.

 

~~~

 

A few days later Harry was walking past the same bench and the boy, Niall, Harry reminded himself was there again, laughing and shouting goodbye as a slightly shorter guy with light tussled brown hair walked away. As the boy turned to shout back Harry caught a glimpse of bright blue eyes, a sharp smile and even sharper cheekbones. The next moment the person was jogging away and Harry had to physically shake himself, _No, it wasn't him. Don't be ridiculous, this city is huge, there is no way that he is in the same area as you. Stop thinking about it._

But there was no way Harry could get the similarities out of his mind. The bright blue of the boy's eyes was just as Harry remembered Louis' to be. The little glimpse of sharp canines in the boy's smile was exactly the same has his best friend's had been. The sandy brown hair was the same. Everything seemed to be the same. Everything seemed to be the same and Harry couldn't get it out of his mind.

With a start Harry discovered that he had been wandering aimlessly, lost in his own thoughts. He was now stood in front of a small cafe that he had noticed but never bothered to go into. He thought that perhaps a bit of tea would get his mind back on focus. Maybe he could focus on the visual anthropology project he had to work on. Looking around Harry could see that none of the chairs matched but all the tables were the same. The lighting was bright leaving no chance of hiding in the shadows.

"Welcome to Pronto Grind, what can I get for you today?"

Looking away from the oddly detailed picture of a birds skeleton and circulatory system Harry was met with blue eyes that widened in shock at the same moment Harry felt his heart leap into his throat.

"Holy shit, H-harry?" The voice was slightly breathless and strangled, it was a touch deeper than it had been before but it was still one hundred percent the person Harry hadn't been able to get out of his head. With a tight nod he turned and walked out of the Cafe, leaving Louis staring at his back. He power walked out of the shop and down the street until he could round the corner and press his back to the side of a building. _Fuck, no, no, no he can't be this close. He left five years ago and just stopped talking, he walked away. Don't let him get to you. Let him wonder what happened to you for once, let him worry, let him feel like he did something wrong. Fuck, fuck, fuck._ Closing his eyes Harry took a few shaky breaths. This was everything he didn't want to happen. He had been here for a week and he had managed to run into the only person he knew in the entire hemisphere, who also happened to be one of the only people who Harry never really wanted to see again. He really needed to talk to Liam. Taking out his phone he sent his best friend an iMessage

**skype in 15, need to talk.**

Seventeen minutes later Harry was left staring at his so called best friend as he laughed himself to the point of tears. Every time he looked like he was getting himself under control he looked up at him and a new wave of hysterics would over take him. Harry couldn't really see any part of his story that could be that funny. "Are you quite finished Liam?" Harry knew his tone was quite abrupt, but really, Liam was meant to be helping him not laughing at him. "I would actually like some help with this!" Liam continued to giggle on the other side of the screen but managed to get out through it

"I'm sorry Haz, but really you are the only person in the world who this could happen to. And beside that if you had let me say anything about him I could have told you that he has been working at that cafe for the last two years. I could have let you know that he was that close to you." Harry felt his eyes widen at that. "You knew!?" He couldn't find it in him to be embarrassed by the way his voice went up an octave with the exclamation.

On the other side Liam threw his hands up, "Honestly Haz! That is so not the point of all of this. You have got to let this go. He left, yes, but this could be your chance to find out why he stopped responding to the messages you sent. He hurt you but I know you still think about him. I know you still miss him. And I know, no matter how you object, I am not the best friend he was to you," Liam raised his hand to stop Harry responding, "H, you wouldn't talk to anyone for two weeks right after he left, you basically didn't talk at all for a month after everything stopped. You resisted getting closer to anyone after that. It was only once the teasing got so bad and I had to step in to stop someone from hitting you that you even considered anyone else's friendship"

Harry looked down and bit his lip remembering that year of his life, Liam was right, he hadn't let anyone close. "Li, I'm sorry. I do miss him, I don't want to miss him but I do, the whole time I've been here I keep thinking that I see him crossing the road or in one of my classes or in the park, and then today I actually do see him, and it felt like a punch in the face, everything hurt with how much I missed him"

Liam's look was soft, and maybe a little bit smug, "Then go back there Haz, find out when his break is and then talk to him. Find out why he stopped talking and find out who he is now, let him back in and let him see who you are now too, cause you are not the same quiet and reserved kid he knew." Groaning Harry let his head flop onto the desk, something which only served to make Liam laugh again.

 

~~~ 

 

The next day Harry stood outside the cafe, biting his lip and shifting his weight side to side, trying to work up the nerve to go inside. He wasn’t even sure that Louis was in there. He had been having the same argument with himself for ten minutes already _there was nothing to be afraid of, Liam is right, you miss him, and you want answers. The only way you are going to get any is if you open that damn door, idiot_.

“Oi, mate, you gonna go in, cause as entertaining as watching you fret over whatever it is, you are kinda both in the middle of the street and blocking the door.” Harry actually physically jumped at the voice behind him. Turning around so fast he almost fell over, Harry saw that the voice belonged to the boy from the previous day, Niall. Harry’s reaction caused the boy to burst out laughing, “I didn’t mean to scare ya mate. Niall, by the way, ‘ve seen you around.”

Harry could still feel his heart beating erratically and heat rushing to his face. “H-Harry. I-it’s alright, I shouldn’t have been in the middle of the door.”

“Well go on then, open the door.” The lit to Niall’s voice made the words less harsh than they could have been, Harry found himself gripping the handle and pulling the door open, “Right now take a step forward,” his body seemed to act on its on, “now another, good,” Harry could hear barely suppressed laughter in the other boy’s voice. He couldn’t bring himself to care, he could see Louis moving around with complete ease. Harry could see him greeting and chatting with the scattered customers as he worked, he moved like he had the layout memorised even though Harry could see that the tables were arranged differently to the night before. He could hear Niall laughing behind him.

Without looking up Louis called out “Niall, you better not be harassing the customers again, or I swear that I will ban you from here!” 

“OI! You will do no such thing, and I wasn’t harassing the customers, this poor sod just needed a little encouragement to get inside.”

Harry gave an awkward wave when Louis looked up and almost dropped the coffee cup he was holding.  “Hi, uhm, I know you probably don’t, uhm, wanna see me, but, uhm, can we talk?” he could feel himself fidgeting while watching as different thoughts flitted across Louis’ face. “Please? I just-I need answers.” 

“I don’t finish here for another two hours, but you can wait round here if you want” 

“Okay.” 

Sitting in an overstuffed, yet comfy arm chair in the corner, Harry watched Louis continue to move around. That entire exchange had been brief and awkward as anything. Neither of them had been able to look away from the other, Harry had seen the disbelief in Louis eyes, the fear that if he had so much as blinked Harry would disappear. Harry had nothing else to do but watch Louis work so noticed every time he looked over at him like he was checking that Harry was still there. While waiting Harry started cataloging all the changes in the other boy. He had always been confident but now he moved as if he belonged here. He was light on his feet and moved with a grace that Harry himself would never be able to possess. He was always quick to smile and laugh with the customers that came into the shop. Back when they were friends Louis’ charm and passion was only just developing, now there was a confidence in the way he presented himself, shamelessly flirting with the customers while being kind and just a little distant. What made Harry smile was the way Louis interacted with the few young children that came into the store; his eyes got brighter and his whole demeanour seemed more open and friendly. It reminded Harry of the Louis that he had known when they were kids. And Harry really wanted to get to know the person that Louis was now. Watching him for the last two hours had let him think about all the things that they had done together, all the inside jokes they had, all the times Harry had been so close to saying ‘I think I love you’. He wanted those moments back.

“Did you wanna talk here?” Harry had been so lost in his memories that he hadn’t noticed Louis sitting across from him.

 “Uh, yeah here is fine.” They both just looked at each other for a while.  

“How are you here, Harry?” His tone was soft but confused and curious.

“I’m doing an exchange through the university, I guess I made an impression back home and they thought this would be a good experience for me.” He watched Louis’ eyebrow jump, something that meant he really wanted to ask a thousand more questions but was stopping himself. “You can ask, you know.”

 “Why are you _here_ Harry?”

 “I want answers Louis. We were best friends and I relied so much on you, and then you move and everything is fine for a while, but then everything just stopped. I want answers. I want to know why you stopped calling, why you didn’t pick up my skype calls, why the letters stopped coming, why the ones I wrote you would start coming back. I want to know what made you give up on our friendship. I want to know what made you give up on…why you gave up on me.” At the start of his rant Harry had been angry and so sure of himself, but by the end the same thought that had followed him around for a year after that first letter came back ‘return to sender’. “You gave up Louis, after thirteen years of friendship you gave up.” Harry caught the moment where guilt flashed in his eyes.

 “It was hard Harry, when we moved here it was all just so new and so hard. The kids at school made fun of me, cause apparently being sixteen and having a british accent is still weird. When I would go home mum and dad would be fighting more often than not, or one of them wouldn’t be there. I looked forward to talking to you so much, H, I really did, but then one day when we were on skype you did something or said something that just made me realise something and after that it got so hard to talk to you, to see you and know that you were so far away. I never meant to hurt you Harry, I really didn’t mean to make you think that I gave up on you.” By this point Louis was leaning forward over the table , one of his hands extended over the table like he wanted to touch but had stopped himself. “H, please believe me I _never_ gave up on you, never. But seeing you started to hurt me more than anything else. I almost caved so many times, there were so many times where I would open skype and hover over your name, other times I would write you letters, I would tell you about what had been going on and about how I just wanted to be back home with you, I would tell you about that day on skype. I would get so far as putting them in an envelope and writing your address, and then stop. I still have all of them under my bed.” The hand that wasn’t extended over the table was playing with the bottom of his shirt. Harry was so getting some of the answers he wanted, but was also still very confused. 

“What could have been such a realisation that you would just stop, what was so bad that you would put both of us through this?” Harry watched as Louis took a deep breath, looked down at his knees and retracted his hand. Harry watched as the openness of Louis posture up until now became defensive, like he was trying to shield himself from something. “Louis, I didn’t talk to anyone after you left, and when it all just stopped I pretty much stopped talking altogether. I thought that I had done something to make you stop. When you moved I didn’t have anyone there anymore, those assholes who would pick on me at school got so much worse, I felt like I didn’t have anyone to protect myself for. Liam actually had to stop one of them from beating me up. What he didn’t know and still doesn’t know is that what he walked up on wasn’t the first time one of them had cornered me for a beating. What he doesn’t know is that I let them. I was so lost without you that I felt like it didn’t matter.” At the first mention of the bullying Louis’ head snapped up, his mouth dropped open. “There was no one around to tell me that liking other guys was okay, that there wasn’t anything wrong with that.” By now telling people he was gay wasn’t something that made him overly nervous, but there were anxious butterflies in his stomach. “I never told anyone why I stopped talking, they all just assumed that it was because I missed you and that the co-dependency that everyone had warned us about was finally catching up with me. No one knows that it was actually because the one person that I loved with all my heart was on the other side of the world and had stopped talking to me and had started returning my letters. No one knew that I was completely and totally in love with the best friend that I ever had. No one knew that I felt like that person had given up on me.” Harry had heard the hitch of breath, but hadn’t been able to stop talking. 

“You-you were in love with me?” Louis’ voice broke at the end of the question. They were again looking at each other unblinkingly. 

“Am. I am in love with you. I could never make myself stop loving you.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, just looking at each other before Louis seemed to burst, “There was never anything bad. I realised that night on skype that I fancied you. That the reason that talking to you was the highlight of my day, week, month was because I was in love with you.” Now it was Harry’s turn to stop breathing. “And ever since then I have been trying to convince myself to forget about you, but you were right there is thirteen years of friendship there, I can’t just forget that. I thought that I had talked myself past being in love with you but then I saw you yesterday and I haven’t been able to stop thinking that you have changed so much and I was an idiot for causing myself to miss seeing you grow into who you are now. I know that we are not just going to be able to fall right back into what we were but I really want to be your friend again. Haz, can we please be friends again?”

“Yes.”

 “What?”

 “Yes we can be friends again.” Both of them were smiling like idiots but Harry knew that this was what he had really always wanted. He wanted Louis back in his life, and he needed to listen to Liam, he had to let this happen. “I got the answers that I wanted, and while I agree you were an idiot, I also could have said something about how I felt. I think this time we really need to work on our communication skills.”

 “Would you two just hug already!” They both turned to look at the speaker and saw Niall looking way too invested, and like he had been listening to every word of their conversation, they took one look at each other and burst out laughing. “Oh my god this is killing me!” 

Louis got up and walked around the table and stood with his arms open. Smiling Harry stood and wrapped his arms around Louis. It felt like they both let go of the breaths they were holding at the same time. Harry felt the arms around him tighten and a face press deeper into his shoulder. 

They had a long way to go before everything was sorted, but Harry was still here for two months. Harry held on tighter than before, breathing in the scent that he had missed so much. Everything had to start somewhere, and this was the best place Harry could think of.


End file.
